Thoughts on air suspension? It is worth it? Will it break down?

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Nystagmus

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Man, I’m glad I chose a truck without the air suspension. I’d be a nervous wreck...checking the ride height several times a day with a ruler.

Funny old person note: I can remember my poor old grandma reaching behind the refrigerator when she walked past it....to make sure it was still plugged in. Like it was just gonna fall out is the wall or something !!!
 

corneileous

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Maybe the rubber lines are to combat the vibrations of the compressor.

Well, may be but it seems to me they’re letting cheap parts and half-assed design ruin a good thing. But then again, if they used better parts, better quality construction and better design, that’s gonna increase the cost of manufacturing which in turn increases the cost of the product. Then people would say it’s too expensive and not buy it. Then they’re right back again at square one.


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TerraNewf

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Well, may be but it seems to me they’re letting cheap parts and half-assed design ruin a good thing. But then again, if they used better parts, better quality construction and better design, that’s gonna increase the cost of manufacturing which in turn increases the cost of the product. Then people would say it’s too expensive and not buy it. Then they’re right back again at square one.


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Yes, outsourcing of auto parts have always been an issue. Not just with FCA but all auto manufacturers. When part contracts come up for bids the lowest cost per vehicle is the only consideration. Profits, profits. I'm retired from that industry.
 

Stickherbush

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Air suspension in really cold areas is more of a problem than in warm areas. I lived in Bismarck and my suspension on my new rebel gave me problems several times in the winter and I was basically told there was NOTHING they could do When I took it in to the dealer.
I would go out every morning and the truck would be basically in enter and exit mode. Then the truck would NOT come up to “normal” height until i got four or five miles down the road. It would not matter if I let it warm up in the driveway for an hour, it still would NOT come up to normal height till I was four or five miles down the road.
In warm weather though, it NEVER gave me any problem at all.
Basically I will NEVER own air suspension again. I will buy a new truck heer in a couple months, and even though I have moved back to Missouri, I will make sure the truck I buy doesn’t have it.
You may have ten trucks in a row with no issues, BUT, I can assure you, as soon as you have problems with the air suspension, you will NEVER own one with it again......lol
 

TerraNewf

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Air suspension in really cold areas is more of a problem than in warm areas. I lived in Bismarck and my suspension on my new rebel gave me problems several times in the winter and I was basically told there was NOTHING they could do When I took it in to the dealer.
I would go out every morning and the truck would be basically in enter and exit mode. Then the truck would NOT come up to “normal” height until i got four or five miles down the road. It would not matter if I let it warm up in the driveway for an hour, it still would NOT come up to normal height till I was four or five miles down the road.
In warm weather though, it NEVER gave me any problem at all.
Basically I will NEVER own air suspension again. I will buy a new truck heer in a couple months, and even though I have moved back to Missouri, I will make sure the truck I buy doesn’t have it.
You may have ten trucks in a row with no issues, BUT, I can assure you, as soon as you have problems with the air suspension, you will NEVER own one with it again......lol

Members are going to think that we have talk or know one another. My thoughts 100%. I'm in a rental for 4 weeks steady now and 2 weeks prior to this. The dealership is calling it a needle in a haystack. Most components have been changed and they think they are close to fixing it. Thinking I'm going to trade it even if it's fixed. I'll stay with the brand but never air suspension again.
 

JohnnyMac

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Most components have been changed and they think they are close to fixing it.

That's funny. When you swap out every component, I can only hope it's fixed! Sounds like a big ol Easter Egg hunt...
 

TerraNewf

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That's funny. When you swap out every component, I can only hope it's fixed! Sounds like a big ol Easter Egg hunt...


One would think so wouldn't you? Not holding my breath but it will be interesting to hear the next line of BS. The haystack is huge.
 

Mr.AK902

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General opinion seems to be that the air suspension is un reliable. I know here in Canada with cold climates, the system just can't handle the cold weather. It would take a good industrial drier to remove all moisture from the system to avoid damage from freeze up. It is costly to repair/maintain, I don't see how the hassle makes it worth any gain.

I had an air ride system in an 11 Escalade, it rode like butter, but when it decided it needed repair it was constant and very costly. I'd opt to not go with air ride. If you feel it is a must, I would be calling Kelderman for a custom setup. Or at the very least, build your own system.
 

Stickherbush

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The guy I dealt with at the dealership in North Dakota said he hates seeing the damn air suspension vehicles come in cause he knows it’s gonna be a wild goose chase 95% of the time. It was very frustrating and I absolutely hated it. If I had ever put larger tires on than what was stock, I would have been in real trouble. Like I said there was absolutely nothing that I could do if I left my truck outside in the cold...the only way it would warm up and rise up to normal height was to drive it for a few miles and if I had put larger tires on it there would not have been enough clearance to drive because every single morning it would be in entry and exit mode.
 

TerraNewf

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General opinion seems to be that the air suspension is un reliable. I know here in Canada with cold climates, the system just can't handle the cold weather. It would take a good industrial drier to remove all moisture from the system to avoid damage from freeze up. It is costly to repair/maintain, I don't see how the hassle makes it worth any gain.

I had an air ride system in an 11 Escalade, it rode like butter, but when it decided it needed repair it was constant and very costly. I'd opt to not go with air ride. If you feel it is a must, I would be calling Kelderman for a custom setup. Or at the very least, build your own system.


For some reason the system isn't like what the big trucks "semi's" have. The big trucks have air driers. The air suspension in those trucks have been used for more than 40 years in Semi's. You will have the odd air bag go out after several 100 thousand miles but never the BS that the ram 1500 air suspension has. Starting to think this system is left over from the Daimlar Benz merge or what ever you want to call it. Lots of issues with the Benz vehicles regarding air suspension.
 

corneileous

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For some reason the system isn't like what the big trucks "semi's" have. The big trucks have air driers. The air suspension in those trucks have been used for more than 40 years in Semi's. You will have the odd air bag go out after several 100 thousand miles but never the BS that the ram 1500 air suspension has. Starting to think this system is left over from the Daimlar Benz merge or what ever you want to call it. Lots of issues with the Benz vehicles regarding air suspension.

I really think that the reason these air ride systems aren’t like the big rig systems is because of cost and maintenance. With a true air ride, you have a big compressor, lot bigger tanks, purge valves, air dryer, air governor, drain valves. Sure that’s a tried and true heavy duty system for commercial use but, you put that kind of system on a pickup, it’s gonna drive up cost. Sure, you’d probably have a lot less hassle with it, but it’s gonna come at a price. Not to mention, air dryers can go bad and when it’s cold, you’d have to drain the water out of your tanks every day, and in most cases you need to crack open a line to put air line antifreeze in it to protect it from freezing. That’s why these on our trucks is set up to be a fully contained nitrogen system that don’t use air.

Bottom line, coming from a truck driver with 10 years experience, it’s not as easy as you’d think.

I really think it’s shoddy parts more than anything. You and I discussed this a time ago that if they would use better parts and better research and development that they’d probably have far less problems.


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8732cuts

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Members are going to think that we have talk or know one another. My thoughts 100%. I'm in a rental for 4 weeks steady now and 2 weeks prior to this. The dealership is calling it a needle in a haystack. Most components have been changed and they think they are close to fixing it. Thinking I'm going to trade it even if it's fixed. I'll stay with the brand but never air suspension again.
Mine did the same thing, months and months trips back and forth to the dealer on the phone with the engineers taking everything apart, first thinking the computer then after tearing that apart finding out that's not it. Everyone I would get to highway speeds the truck would lower to entry exit height and that was a rough ride. I just got tired the dealer have me 22k for my truck and I bought 2018. Didn't want to chance the 19 because they are coming back to the dealer with all kinds of electrical issues with that big screen. I'll wait, love my 2018 went straight to the lift shop and bumper swap light cameras and action. Now I'm happy no bags but sitting high71c29c937a643bf196e1de85a2567b3a.jpg38dc615ba71f30b164805f7a2f05e18a.jpg

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wutech

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It’s a sealed nitrogen system and I’m puzzled as to why they don’t use the Jeep GC system. Maybe it’s just me but I never hear much about those having the issues that the rams have.

Some have had bad reed valves as guys over on the Rebel forum have talked about.
 

TerraNewf

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It’s a sealed nitrogen system and I’m puzzled as to why they don’t use the Jeep GC system. Maybe it’s just me but I never hear much about those having the issues that the rams have.

Some have had bad reed valves as guys over on the Rebel forum have talked about.


Both my son and daughter have Jeep GC's, both Overlands with air suspension. One is a 12 and the other is a 13, no issues with either one. Both have over 130,000 kms.
 

TerraNewf

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Mine did the same thing, months and months trips back and forth to the dealer on the phone with the engineers taking everything apart, first thinking the computer then after tearing that apart finding out that's not it. Everyone I would get to highway speeds the truck would lower to entry exit height and that was a rough ride. I just got tired the dealer have me 22k for my truck and I bought 2018. Didn't want to chance the 19 because they are coming back to the dealer with all kinds of electrical issues with that big screen. I'll wait, love my 2018 went straight to the lift shop and bumper swap light cameras and action. Now I'm happy no bags but sitting high71c29c937a643bf196e1de85a2567b3a.jpg38dc615ba71f30b164805f7a2f05e18a.jpg

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Great looking truck, looks great lifted. I'll be following your footsteps. Never air ride again in my vehicles.
 

TerraNewf

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I really think that the reason these air ride systems aren’t like the big rig systems is because of cost and maintenance. With a true air ride, you have a big compressor, lot bigger tanks, purge valves, air dryer, air governor, drain valves. Sure that’s a tried and true heavy duty system for commercial use but, you put that kind of system on a pickup, it’s gonna drive up cost. Sure, you’d probably have a lot less hassle with it, but it’s gonna come at a price. Not to mention, air dryers can go bad and when it’s cold, you’d have to drain the water out of your tanks every day, and in most cases you need to crack open a line to put air line antifreeze in it to protect it from freezing. That’s why these on our trucks is set up to be a fully contained nitrogen system that don’t use air.

Bottom line, coming from a truck driver with 10 years experience, it’s not as easy as you’d think.

I really think it’s shoddy parts more than anything. You and I discussed this a time ago that if they would use better parts and better research and development that they’d probably have far less problems.


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I guess it's the luck of the draw when it come to out-sourced components. As mentioned many times before, there are thousands of air ride trucks with zero issues. I believe mine was assembled with components that came from a bad batch of shipped parts. Going into week 5 now since I seen my truck.
 

corneileous

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I guess it's the luck of the draw when it come to out-sourced components. As mentioned many times before, there are thousands of air ride trucks with zero issues. I believe mine was assembled with components that came from a bad batch of shipped parts. Going into week 5 now since I seen my truck.

That may be the case. But what is so different between the air rides on the Rams and whatever they put on the Jeeps?


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TerraNewf

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That may be the case. But what is so different between the air rides on the Rams and whatever they put on the Jeeps?


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Not sure, hoping to have some positive news in the morning. I will update if there is anything new.
 

TerraNewf

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Checked the truck this morning with measuring tape and much to my surprise it didn't drop and it's the same height on the passenger and drivers sides.
img_1058-jpg.149524
img_1057-jpg.149525
I'm a happy camper with my fingers crossed. Service adviser told me they had reached out all across north America looking for help with no response. The engineer that my mechanic worked with was the key to getting this fixed. Once I opened a star case with FCA the dealership had full support. I've post their findings from last 4 weeks in the shop. I have more reports but they are a mute item now.
 
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